Short scary stories

Cross roads with the devil

Into the wee hours of the night, a man sitting at the table was sipping from the half empty bottle of cognac. It had been a long time since his lips had touch such liquid. Decades had passed from the time he entered that bar and sat himself besides who would take it all.

Life hadn't been fair, born in a broken family, the once joyful boy saw himself stuck behind a desk of a greedy company, only keeping them employed to suck their ideas and cash them as their own.

The wind howled throught the cracks of the decrepit building, caressing the man's grey hair in an almost tender way. He leaned back and relaxed at the sensation, it didn't had the warmth of a human, but he wasn't one either after all he has done.

He wanted money, power, a live full of luxury. Maybe that day he had struck luck, or maybe it was the gling from the dollars blinding him. 

"Can I pour you a drink? You look like you need one.", the stranger spoke, reaching for the silver bottled carved with dimonds. The man thanked him, revealing the source of his anguish. "Now that's something I can fix.", it said in a soft tone, "I can guarantee you a life of wealtness. A capital so big you wouldn't be able to spend it in a thousand life times.". The youngest got taken back, was it a scheme? "No, innocent child.", slighty laughing, "See, in opposite to humans, my kind is not known for lying. But everything comes with a cost, a rather small for people like you.", it's gaze was locked onto the man's eyes, deep black orbes absorbing all the light around them. "People like me?", the voice came in a whisper. "With no family.", a small grin formed in it's lips, "I can give you the wealth and power you desire, but, in exchange, I'm gonna come for you and your descendets once your time comes.". The man felt a shiver run down his spine at the sudden temperature drop, "What do you mean?", he stutred, "That doesn't exist." The other laughted out loud, bending it's torso back in a dramatic way, "Then I'm not real?", no response from the now scared man, "It's all real. Perhaps you humans like to think it's all an elaborated tale for your own sake. Its' better to sleep at night knowing your sins won't be punished in the after life.", it paused, liking it's lips showing a mouth full of sharp teeth, "It's up to you to decide. It's preferable to see your family live a long life of poverty, or the rest of your life time, surrounded by richness?". The man remain silent for minutes, fidgeting with the glass in front of him, before downing it . His life was miserable and he had no one to call family anyways, "What do I have to do?". A smile grew on the others face and he extended his hand, that now had five red claws. The man understood the gesture, shaking it back. "The deal's closed. Happy to make busieness with you.". Before the man could say something back, he saw himself in the street outside the bar, this time with the widonws and doors cemented shut.

Some days passed, and with that the believe of the veracity of the encounter faded away. He thought he had one to many drinks and the headache he woke up to assured him even more. That's when a odd package appear at his door. A silver bottle of cognac carved with dimonds, with a note attached that read "Enjoy the rest of your life.". The man was astonished, could he had made a deal with the devil?

The month that followed proved the grim reality. His boss was found dead in his bed, passing the CEO position to his eldest son, a righteous man that, upon seeing the employee's potencial, gave him a chair next to him. The man was able to buy a country house in the suburbs, along with the newest car model in the market. His life was surround by all the luxury he disered, but no amount of money could fill the loneliness of his heart. It remain desolated for years until she crossed his path. A beautiful woman, with long dark hair and piercing almond eyes. It didn't took long for the two to fall in love and vow upon the altar. After that, the cold, empty, house was filled with the giggles and the little running sounds of children. The man had forgotten about the deal.

Years came and went. The family fortune only grew along with the man's savour for money. He started to change, spending endless hours inside his office, coming up with schemes to trick those who were desperate enought to believe. The company fell back to the old ways. And the man became the person that once ruined his life.

However, in a sick twist, he was reminded of his fate. One by one, his descendants began dying in grimfull accidents. The first was his first born daughter, a talented figure skater. She lost balance, falling back in the sharp blades of the ice skates, paiting the rink a crimson color. His son followed just a day after. He was supervising the contrution of his newest project, a skyscraper. It was almost finished, only needed to have the windows applied. Due to cuts in the budget, the cables securing the tons of glass broke, crashing down on the architect. Despite the gruesome demises, what shocked the old man the most was the premature death of his grandauther. She had come to work with her father, watching as he was crushed. In a panicked state, she ran towards him, crossing in front of a moving truck.

The three cofins were lowered to the ground tha day after, in a cloudy morning carring a dense mist. The fog danced around the graves, stopping at the wife's feet before disappearing. She didn't woke up the next day. Her already weak heart could take the mourning of her children. And, once again, the man was alone.

He knew his time was near and he didn't wanted to die in the cold, empty, house, full of his late family memories. The bar were it all started wasn't hard to enter. The years of mistreating by the weather made big cracks in the structure, wide enought for a human squease throught. And there he waited. His tired bodie slowly sliding in the wooden chair. "After all these decades, it's good to see you my friend.", the soft voice spoke, "I'm sorry for your losses. I hope they weren't unexpected.". "Just take me.", the old man said in a sigh. "Why are you sad?", it said with confusion, "You knew the terms. Why did you fell for the most destructive emotion?". "Because I'm human. And you are a monster capable of killing an innocent child.", he said with tears in his eyes. "I'm a monster?", it paused placing a heavy hand on the man's shoulder, "You were driven by greed to seal the fate of, not only your one, but also your unborn family. I didn't made you accept it. I offered you an option. You took it, because humans are all the same. Money thirsty creatures that will abandone their morals for power.", it said next to the man's ear. He didn't respond. He turned to the companion, smiled and lean back in the chair closing his eyes. "Fair well.". A cracking sound was the last think the man heard, before the bar fell down on him. He died the same way he started to live. Alone. He finally accepted his fate.